cant use DC,

[Bullet79]

my pedal can't use DC,.. no power at all.. but its ok when using battery....

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Compelling story

[rousejeremy]

Compelling story

[R.G.]

Read and follow the instructions in "Debugging: What to do when it doesn't work".

This is one of those annoying sticky posts at the top of the list of posts that you have to scroll past to get to the other posts. You see it every time you come to the forum.

[twabelljr]

Check the solder joints where the DC jack connects to the circuit board. If it is a pcb mounted jack the solder joints tend to crack. Just touch them up. But, I must ask first: What pedal is it?Is it a DIY pedal you built or a factory unit that just now quit working?  Is the adapter you are using known to be good? Did the pedal ever work with an adapter? Have you opened it up and looked inside at all? You must give as much information as possible in the first post of your thread to get people to seriously try to help you, hence the first two responses. Not much to go on really. Help us help you. Follow the wires from the battery snap and the dc plug. I'm sure you should be able to find a broken wire or a crack around a soldered pin. Post a picture. If it's DIY then definately follow this: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=29816.0
Good Luck

[Bullet79]

ok ok... dont screw me guys... Merry Xmas..   
i think it got to do with the dc jack....  it's fine with battery....   an old 90's pearl brand delay pedal,..

[twabelljr]

Merry Christmas to you too! Nobody is trying to screw you. Just need a little more info. I have fixed alot of electronic equipment for friends that they said did not work, and alot of the problems were cracked solder joints at the power adapter. Some had DC power, some had AC power going in. First make sure your adapter is good and is the right polarity. Simple stuff first. Then take the battery out and plug the adapter into the pedal and try to turn it on while you gently grab the plug where it goes in the pedal and move it around. If the pedal turns on and off, then you have a pad plug in the pedal, or more likely a cracked solder joint inside the box where the jack connects. Open the pedal up whether it turns on and off or not. (keep track of the screws)! Follow the wires from the battery snap and see where they go. Then look for broken wires from the dc jack to the board or cracked/bad solder joints where the adapter is soldered to the board. I have fixed everything from effects pedals, radios, TV's, electonic handheld tools at work that had cracked solder joints at the power supply jack to circuit board. And I just do this as a hobby. I bet the pros see it all the time. So check the power supply you are using first. If it is good you are gonna have to do some surgery friend! That is the fun part, this should be an easy fix.

[deadastronaut]

ok ok... dont screw me guys... Merry Xmas..   
i think it got to do with the dc jack....  it's fine with battery....   an old 90's pearl brand delay pedal,..

is it a metal dc jack?....if so use a plastic one...

[Bullet79]

this one...
i know my dc brick is fine,. coz i can power other effect... i think its the dc jack fault...
..u guys know how crap is it when powering delay with batt.....
...any protection diode should i check for..??

[MetalUpYerEye]

i know my dc brick is fine,. coz i can power other effect...

What other effects are you powering with it? Most effects run on 9v, hence the use of 9v batteries, so if you're using a 9v wall wart to power a pedal that needs 18v then it probably wont work. The picture you posted clearly says 'DC IN 18v' on the pedal.

Check to see if you're getting power past the DC jack before you go checking internal components.

[twabelljr]

i know my dc brick is fine

What "brick" are you using? Is is one with an 18V output? Plug your power supply in and measure the voltage on the plug you are connecting to the Pearl Delay.

[Bullet79]

guys... the dc brick is fine.. i think the dc jack need to be replaced.... but i just want to know if theres a diode that i should check too... the one usually got to do with power section...

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Follow the power input path. If there is a diode that goes from the power path to ground then that is the one to check.

I suggest you STILL check to ensure that there is power IMMEDIATELY AFTER the DC input jack.

[trjones1]

With a board mounted DC jack like that it is very easy to crack the pcb traces around the jack, especially after 20 or 30 years.  I had a pedal that worked fine with batteries, but if you plugged into the jack it would flex the board just enough to break the connection from the jack.  Look at the board and look for cracks in the traces and use your DMM to follow the voltage throughout the board.  If there are any cracks you can use a jumper to get over it.

[twabelljr]

It will only take a few minutes to open the pedal up. Look at the bottom of the board where the jack pins are soldered. I have seen ALOT of these crack. Tin your iron tip, remelt the joint and flow a little fresh solder in. Better than new. Besides, isn't the battery usually connected to the dc jack so it can be switched off when the jack is plugged in? This would mean when using battery power, any diodes would still be in the cicuit so they should be ok.

[Bullet79]

i'v juuuuust change the pcb mounted DC jack,.. settled.... the solder join was fine, but inside the DC socket itself,...

[twabelljr]

Then take the battery out and plug the adapter into the pedal and try to turn it on while you gently grab the plug where it goes in the pedal and move it around. If the pedal turns on and off, then you have a pad plug in the pedal

Yea!!! Good job. Rock on into the new year!

[Brymus]

i'v juuuuust change the pcb mounted DC jack,.. settled.... the solder join was fine, but inside the DC socket itself,...

I had to replace one on my mulit FX.
15 years old and the DC jack burnt through the contact,always used the factory wart too.
Anyway no more intermitent with new DC jack,also re capped all the electros ,sounds brand new again (better IMO)